


Hot Gimmick

by unknowableroom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-04-15
Updated: 2006-06-21
Packaged: 2019-01-19 20:45:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12417828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknowableroom_archivist/pseuds/unknowableroom_archivist
Summary: Ginny makes a deal with Draco Malfoy when he stumbles upon her doing something she shouldn't.





	1. The Deal

**Author's Note:**

> Note from ChristyCorr, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Unknowable Room](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Unknowable_Room), a Harry Potter archive active from 2005-2016. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after May 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Unknowable Room collection profile](http://www.archiveofourown.org/collections/unknowableroom).

**Hot Gimmick**

- _Mei Queen_

Author’s Note- This is a Draco/Ginny story based on the manga “Hot Gimmick” by Miki Aihara.  Though Neville will be slightly OoC, please note that he isn’t evil.  He’s just upset about something that happened with his parents.  Please don’t be upset if some of the characters are slightly OoC…Draco and Ginny were really the ones I was trying to capture by using this story because I thought it fit how they might’ve gotten together pretty well, so some of the supporting cast might appear slightly…well, slightly mad.  Sorry about that. Hope you’ll read and review anyway.

Chapter 1: The Deal  

            There is no feeling quite like that of mixed regret and lunacy, that much Alice Longbottom will be able to tell you.  As she lay in her bed next to her husband, incapacitated, in St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, she had plenty of time to think.  Plenty of time to regret. Plenty of time to delve further into the depths of madness than she had the day before.  The Longbottom’s son, Neville, was visiting today.  He had been sitting patiently by his mother’s side, head in his hands, for the better part of an hour.  It was the only way he could feel close to his parents, whose sanity had been taken by cruel Death Eaters during the war.    

            Neville had tried talking to his parents when he first visited them.  Long he had hoped for a response, something clear, defined…logical.  As of late, he had given up that hope.  Today he came prepared.  Neville had brought a photo album of his parents in their glory days, hoping that just perhaps, he might get a reaction from one of them.               Turning a careworn page, he was faced with the group of the Order of the Phoenix.  He smiled at all the carefree faces in the wizard picture, waving at his parents, Harry’s, and Ron’s.  This picture was acting oddly though.  It seemed that the closer he looked at Arthur Weasley, the further the man backed out of the picture, until he was no longer a member of the Order’s photo.   _Something is going on,_ Neville thought curiously, prying the picture from its place in the album.  Another, a smaller, photograph fell from underneath it.  It landed on the ground, backside facing up.  In his mother’s perfect cursive, it was labeled _Christmas Party, 1975._   The image that faced Neville when he turned it over was enough to make him feel ill.  There, underneath the mistletoe, was his mother.  She was kissing Arthur Weasley.

“You need me to _what?_ ” a petite redhead sixth year whispered hysterically as her brother, a seventh year, talked quietly with her in the Gryffindor Common Room.

“Please, sis. It will look a lot less odd if you’re looking it up. Besides, you’re way better at potions, you know that there is just no way that I could brew that? I don’t want to risk hurting her…or ‘it’,” Ron said softly, his eyes looking dangerously glassy.

“Ron, you don’t even know if there is an ‘it’ yet…but yes, I’ll help you.  Oh Merlin, Ronald…if this turns out positive…” Ginny trailed off, her long hair falling in her face.

“Mum will kill me,” Ron finished with a blunt and dejected tone. Ginny nodded but whispered softly, touching her brother’s arm, “Don’t worry. Everything will be okay. I promise.”

_How do I get roped into these things?_ Ginny thought to herself idly, twirling one of her curly scarlet locks as she trudged in the direction of the library. _I mean, really? And…Ron and Luna? When in the world did that one happen? That’s just bloody bizarre…_

Ginny was so lost in her thoughts that she actually missed the entrance to the library and had to backtrack.  Entering the dusty room, she saw that it was fairly deserted.   _Just as well,_ Ginevra thought miserably. _I really don’t want anyone catching me doing what I’m about to do._

Taking a spare piece of parchment and a quill out of her robes, she headed towards the Health section.  Taking down one of the mustier volumes that looked as if it hadn’t been used recently, she lugged it to a chair and spread it out in front of her.

Flipping towards the index, she muttered to herself, “Postpartum depression…Posture…ah, jackpot! Pregnancy, pages 55-60.”

Turning to page 55, she was faced with a whole page of pregnancy symptoms and how to prepare for your pregnancy.  _That’s not what I want,_ Ginny thought irritably, turning the page again. Then she found it. _The 99.9% Accurate ‘Are You Carrying?’ Potion,_ read Ginny.

She began to hurriedly copy down the ingredients and instructions, taking quick glances around her to make sure that nobody was watching.   _Done!_ Ginny thought excitedly, closing the book and heaving it back onto its spot on the shelf.  She made it out the door and into the hallway when she tripped on something.  Looking up from her spot on the ground, she realized she had tripped on a someone, not a something.

Draco Malfoy had been standing with his foot out in order to trip the next unlucky person to leave the library, which, as it happened, was her.

The handsome, devilish blonde boy looked down at her with an interesting mixture of disgust and interest; as if he wasn’t really sure which emotion should be dominant at the moment. “What do you know,” he said softly. “I bait a trap to catch a student, and instead I catch a weasel.”

“Leave me alone, Malfoy,” Ginny spat, trying to stand up and regain her bearings.  Reaching into her pocket to feel for the important piece of parchment, she realized it was no longer there.  Panicked, she looked on the ground at her feet. Sure enough, it had fallen out of her pockets when she fell to the ground.  Draco caught sight of where her eyes were looking, and his Seeker reflexes were much better than that of her Keeper ones.

Swooping down quickly, Draco grabbed the parchment and unfolded it.

_Thank Merlin I didn’t title it,_ Ginny thought desperately.

“This is a pregnancy test potion.” Draco said quickly.

_Well there goes my last bit of sanity,_ Ginny thought savagely. _How is it that he knows everything, anyway?_

Draco snorted at her with derision. “I don’t know everything, if that’s what you’re thinking. Pregnancy tests have very specific ingredients. Very few potions avoid ingredients like the pregnancy ones…you wouldn’t want to harm a fetus after all, would you, Red?”

Ginny sighed and looked at the ground. “Please…just give it back, Malfoy. I haven’t done anything to you.”

“That’s true,” Draco said, weighing his options carefully. “But I think the operative thing to remember here is that I haven’t done anything to you…yet. Therefore making this particular piece of information a blackmail that I can’t yet let go of.”

Her eyes bulged at his mention of blackmail, as she crossed her hands over her chest in irritation. “What do you want, Malfoy?”

Draco thought carefully, all the while taking in Ginny’s physique.  She was wearing robes that looked as if perhaps they had belonged to her brothers at one point in time, as they were far too large.  However, since they weren’t actually in classes today, the robes were open, revealing Muggle clothes tightly covering an athletic physique.  Her Quidditch practice had given her quite the body, indeed…too bad that her body was constantly unrecognizable under those robes. Draco sighed.  “Well, I figured that much would be obvious.  For some twisted and altogether ironic reason, I think what I want…is you.  You can be my slave for the next month, and I won’t tell the rest of the school that you’re a slut with a bun in the oven.”

Ginny opened her mouth to defend herself, but soon realized that pinning the pregnancy to Luna wouldn’t help anything. “Slave? What do you mean? Do you want me to clean your room or something?”

The corners of Draco’s mouth turned up in a wry smile. “No, my dear. I meant my sex slave…after all; you seem to enjoy it so much.”

Ginny’s eyes bulged at his audacity.  “Forget it. Tell everyone. See if I care.”

Turning to leave, she heard Draco clear his throat behind her. “Oh, Red…you remember my father, correct? Head of the Board of Trustees? Imagine what he could do if he found out that Hogwarts’ morals are just slipping down the drain…expulsion? No…he’s much crueler than that. Imagine a letter to your Mummy Dearest explaining that her own flesh and blood is about have one of their own. Mmm…I’d love to pen that letter. Maybe if I’m good, Daddy will even let me dictate it.”

Ginny’s eyes watered as she stopped. _I can’t believe I’m lowering myself to this…this wanker! But what choice do I have?_ Turning around and looking miserably up at Draco, she asked quietly, “What alternative do I have?”

He stepped slyly down from his perch in the window ledge and circled her slowly.  “Not a whole lot.  Besides, Red…just think of the fun that you actually could have with me…that is, if you let yourself.”

“You’re evil, Malfoy. Sadistic, even. But I don’t really have much of an option here…so I guess it’s a yes. Not a happy one, but it’s a yes,” she said eventually, head held high, determined not to look him in the eye.

“Perfect. I’ll meet you in the dungeons at seven, then…does that work for you? Seven?” he asked softly.

“Seven’s just dandy,” she retorted sarcastically, keeping her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

Draco leaned in close to her ear and whispered softly, “Oh, and wear something nice. That is…if you own anything nice.”

With a final snort of derision, he tossed her parchment onto the ground in front of her and walked off towards the dungeons. Picking the paper up, she backed up against the wall and sank to the floor. A tear rolled down her cheek as she checked her watch. Four-thirty. _What am I going to do?_ Ginny thought miserably.

Ginny quickly and secretly whipped up Luna’s potion down in the Potions classroom.  Stirring the potion carefully, she checked her parchment again.  Only a few more minutes and then she could add the final ingredients.  “Pixie dust,” she read off softly.  Where in the name of Merlin was the Pixie Dust? She had gathered all the ingredients when she began the potion, but now she realized that the amount of pixie dust in the Potions classroom canister was not enough to match the required amount in the spell. Taking the potion off the burner, she cursed softly. “Shit! Where is it? I need to add it soon, because the potion completely cools…and I can’t put it back on the heat because I have to add the Pixie Dust when it begins to boil…oh bloody hell, this is terrible!”

Flinging open cupboards recklessly, she soon realized that the Potions classroom only had that one quarter-full canister.  

“Well, isn’t that great?!” Ginny screeched to nobody in particular.

“What’s great?” asked a suave voice from the doorway.  Looking back, she saw the one person she was hoping never to see again.

“Can’t you just wait til seven?” she replied irritably. “What do you want, Draco?”

“Oh, I’m Draco, now…are we playing nice today? How unusual,” he said sarcastically, striding over to her potion and doing what he does best- snorting in derision. “You need to add Pixie Dust,” he observed.

“Thank you, Captain Obvious,” Ginny retorted quickly, stepping over to where Draco was standing. “I’m aware. I’ll be damned if I can find any though…the Potions classroom canister doesn’t have enough to match the amount required.”

“Oh, so perhaps you might need this, then?” Draco whispered softly, dangling a vial over her head.  From the way it glimmered purple in the light, Ginny could tell that it was indeed very high quality Pixie Dust. 

“Deciding to be generous?” she asked hopefully.

“Well, I figured that part of the deal was to let you make this potion in peace, and I took Potions inventory for Snape a week ago…I knew we were almost out,” Draco said quickly, looking away from her and handing her the vial.

“Thanks…Draco. I appreciate it,” Ginny said genuinely, putting her cauldron back onto the burner.

“Yes, whatever. Just finish the bloody thing,” he said quickly, stomping out of the dungeons. She smiled to herself while stirring in the purple dust. _Perhaps he’s not as bad as he seems,_ Ginny thought hopefully.

_Or perhaps he is,_ she thought irritably, leaving the classroom with a capped beaker full of the bluish-purple liquid.   Upon her exit of the classroom, Draco had promptly asked if it was a positive or negative.

“Would it really matter? If I told you I was positive, could I get out of the sex slave deal?” Ginny asked hopefully.

“Nope,” Draco quickly retorted, following her down the hallway.

“That’s what I thought. So why does it matter again?” she asked sarcastically.

“Dunno. Just curious, I guess. Wait, have you even taken it yet?” 

“No! Okay? No…I’m waiting til I get to the dorms,” and with that, she showed it to him from inside her robes.  Sure enough, the glittering liquid was still there.

“Okay, fine. But don’t forget, dungeons at seven, and I expect a full report of the results then,” Draco snapped.

“Fine!” Ginny said with exasperation.

“Oh,” Draco said as an afterthought, turning to face her. “And while this deal is going on, I’d appreciate it if you would refer to me not as Malfoy, not as Draco…but as Master Draco. Or Master Malfoy…after all, the alliteration with the last one is rather nice.” Ginny snorted and walked the rest of the way back to the dorms.

“Here you go, Ron. But she needs to drink it soon. If it’s negative, she’ll glow blue, if positive…well…she’ll glow red. But we’re just hoping that one doesn’t happen,” Ginny whispered quickly, secretly handing her brother the potion in a dark corner of the Common Room.

“All right, I’m meeting her in the Room of Requirement…ten bucks says it’ll look like a pediatrician’s office or something. Just think, the last time Luna and I were there, it was just this great big bed…and there were feathers and roses and…”

Ron trailed off upon the realization that A) he was talking to his sister, and B) since the beginning of his sentence, Ginny had put her fingers in her ears and begun singing show tunes. 

“Um…right. I’ll go bring it to her then, shall I?” Ron asked quickly, sprinting for the Fat Lady’s portrait. “Right. I’m going upstairs,” she said to nobody in particular, trudging the long walk upstairs to her dorm.

Ginny loved her bed. She had claimed the bed next to the window, just as she had done many times in years past.  It had a great view.  The sun was out today, and sunlight was streaming in through the open window onto her bed. Wait a tic, why was the window open? 

Glancing towards her bed, she saw something she had not seen in a very long time. A package. For her. She loved getting mail; it was something she certainly didn’t get often enough. The only things Ginny generally had to look forward to in the mail were the occasional letter from Bill or Charlie. Never from Percy, he usually didn’t want anything to do with her. 

It was large black box, tied with a green and silver ribbon.  _Slytherin colors?_ Ginny thought curiously. _But I only know one person in Slytherin, and he definitely wouldn’t send me a gift…but then again, he did give me that Pixie Dust…_

Cautiously untying the ribbon, she lifted the lid.  Surrounded by silver tissue paper was possibly the most divine thing she had ever seen. Taking it from the package, Ginny watched, spellbound, as a green satin dress unfurled itself.  Stepping into it and zipping it up, she faced the mirror again.  It was the perfect for petite Ginny, barely brushing the floor.  Looking closer at the fabric, she realized that not only was it dark green satin, but it was embroidered with tiny hibiscus flowers.  A white piping surrounded the edges of the dress, tracing the bottom of it, following the slit at the bottom all the way up Ginny’s tan thigh and back down. The collar was Oriental, that much was definite. It had capped short sleeves, and the neckline spliced down over left breast, carefully held together by white fasteners.

Ginny just stared at herself in shock. 

She turned back to the box and noticed a note on embossed silver stationery. 

_Ginevra-_

_Sorry about the “not owning anything appropriate” comment…I realized that perhaps I should change that condition. I hope it fits…I guessed your measurements. You really must get some robes that fit, it would be much easier to judge your proportions if I could actually view them once in awhile._

_See you at 7._

_-Master Malfoy_

 Ginny looked up from the note with disgust. _I don’t just have the spare money lying around to go buy new robes, you jackass! And if he actually expects me to refer to him as “Master”, he’s got a screw loose…What am I getting myself into?_

Looking down at her watch, she read 6:45. Grabbing her cloak to hide her new dress from her brother, she began the long walk down to the dungeons. 


	2. Kiss the Boys

**Hot Gimmick**

-Mei Queen

Author’s Note- I’ll say it again, Neville is not EVIL. He’s just an upset boy (and heaven knows what they will do). I actually like Neville as a character, but I really needed someone to fill the shoes of this part…I feel really bad doing it though. Oh, and HARRY WILL NOT PERMANENTLY FEEL THE WAY HE DOES. You’ll understand when you start reading.  I don’t want flames for this…it won’t last long, okay?  By the way, everyone, thank you all so much for your kind reviews. You all totally blew me away! Those of you that reviewed anonymously, however, did not get one of my awesome thank you notes…so you might want to leave your e-mail when you review! =D

Chapter 2: Kiss the Boys

*-*-*

Neville couldn’t really remember when he had pinned his mother’s infidelity to Ginny Weasley.  Why go after Ginny? Why not Ron, or any of the other Weasleys for that matter?  After all, it was actually their father that had done the wrongdoing…why torture younger generations? Neville had pondered all of these questions carefully after discovering that tainted photograph.  

Even Arthur himself knew that Ginny was a “daddy’s girl”.  She had always possessed the spunkiness, randomness and kindness of her father, something that hadn’t been passed on to the rest of the other Weasley children.  Ron always took after his mother…whining, badgering, mothering, those were the things that Harry always ended up getting the brunt end of.  Ginny took after her father, she was accessible, and it didn’t truly help her case that the crushes Neville had had on her over the years had been mercilessly snubbed.  No, Neville had decided, if he wanted revenge…it just had to be Ginevra. *-*-*

Speaking of Ginevra, the girl herself was slowly making her way to the dungeons.  Her speed (or lack thereof) was not helped by the fact that just about any prefect walking by made her jump into the shadows.  Though Draco was Head Boy, Hermione was the Head Girl, and Ginny really just did not feel like explaining the whole situation to Hermione or making up some lame excuse as to why she was headed towards the dungeons at night.  Hearing voices, she quickly ducked into the shadows behind a tapestry once again.

“How was Quidditch practice?” 

It was Neville’s voice, of that much Ginny was positive.

“Good, good,” said the other voice dismissively. _Harry,_ she thought.

“What happened?” Neville asked, curiously.

“Nothing, really…but that was the problem. Hey, do you know where Ginny is at? She didn’t show up at practice, and I’m kind of worried…it’s not like her to ditch practices, not at all,” Harry finished in a motherly tone.

Ginny smacked herself in the forehead. _That was today?_ She thought to herself, panicked.

“No, I haven’t seen her at all today, now that you mention it,” Neville said apologetically.

“Thanks anyway,” Harry muttered gruffly, seeming to quicken his pace.

“Hey, Harry!” Neville called.

“Yeah?” 

“Who are you taking to the ball…you know, the one Dumbledore is having to cheer everyone up about the war?”

“Oh, that thing…I dunno, I guess I was thinking about asking Gin,” Harry finished quickly.

Ginny eyes bulged as she continued listening.

“Ginny?” Neville asked incredulously.  “Why not Hermione?”

“Oh,” Harry said softly, scratching his head.  “I think Dean asked her.  I’m not really sure…but I’ll probably ask Gin anyways. I’ve gotten to know her pretty well through Quidditch and all; she wouldn’t be bad to hang out with for a night.” 

_Not bad? I really don’t know if I should be insulted by that,_ Ginny thought to herself, crossing her arms over her chest.

“True…alright, well, I’ll see you later, Harry.  I’ve got to go work on my essay in the library,” Neville said, starting in the other direction.

“Later, Neville.”

*-*-*

_Did that really happen?_ Ginny asked herself as she finally left the tapestry, positive that the coast was clear. _It couldn’t be. I mean, after all these years…Harry Potter wouldn’t be as big of an IDIOT as to decide to like me now…right?_

Shaking her head, she continued on the way to the dungeons.  That is, she continued until she collided with someone.

“Oof!” Ginny grunted as she got the wind knocked out of her.  Falling to the ground, she realized that that someone was Neville.

“Oh, Ginny!” Neville said quickly.  “I’m sorry about that! Here, let me help you up!”

Reaching out a hand to her that Ginny took, he swiftly pulled her off the ground.

“S’okay, Neville…No harm, no foul, y’know?” She trailed off realizing that he was looking at her rather intently.  As she returned the gaze, a realization hit her- Neville had finally gotten out of his awkward stage.  The DA of 5th year had done him well…in addition to being magically fit, he had committed himself the summer before sixth year to being physically fit, and had continued that regimen last summer.  Neville’s medium-length brown hair flopped in his face, his skin looked tan and he had very nice eyes, which Ginny noticed immediately.

She shook her head. _What am I doing?! I’m checking out Neville…that is just wrong. Am I really that desperate? Oh, how sad._

Neville looking caringly at her.  “Are you okay, Gin?”

“Yeah, sorry about that, Neville…I’ve really got to get going,” she said, determinedly breaking his gaze and striding off towards the dungeons.

“Ginny, wait!”She turned impatiently. “What is it?”

Neville locked eyes with her and strode towards her.  “This.”

Ginny’s eyes reflected pure shock as he lowered his lips to hers.  She was so confused.  Her mind was swimming in so many different thoughts as Neville continued to kiss her.  It wasn’t that the kiss was perfect; it wasn’t that it was amazing…but…it was gentle…it felt safe.

*-*-*

“What the fuck do you think that you’re doing?” a harsh voice said, interrupting Ginny’s surreal thoughts.

Pulling away from her, Neville looked about as shocked at what had happened as Ginny was.  

Looking in the direction of the voice, Ginny saw pale blonde locks, icy eyes, and perfect skin…Malfoy.

Draco turned to her angrily.  “Do you realize that you are more than half an hour late? And then I catch you kissing this loser! What am I going to do with you?”

Neville had already turned to Ginny, bewildered. He clearly thought that Malfoy had gone completely mad.

“Bloody hell, Ginevra! Do you have anything to say for yourself?” Draco looked at her angrily.

Ginny’s eyes clouded over.  She was not going to make excuses to this imbecile.  She hadn’t kissed Neville in the first place, she had to hide from prefects, and she was sneaking out of the dorm…all to see a person she honestly really would be perfectly fine to never see again! 

After receiving Ginny’s cold stare of indifference, Draco let out an exasperated sigh.  “Okay, whatever, Red.  Just come the fuck on.”

Striding off towards the dungeons, Draco Malfoy definitely signaled that the conversation was over.

“Sorry, I’ve got to go,” Ginny whispered apologetically, running to catch up with Draco.

Neville stood in the corridor, trying to figure out what had just happened.

*-*-*

“So what was that about?” Draco hissed angrily and he opened the door to a dungeon room for Ginny.

“It’s none of your business. Frankly, why you care in the first place is totally beyond me,” she retorted sarcastically.

“Of course I care.  You are my slave, remember? Every idiotic thing that you do, because Merlin knows you do many, reflects on me now.  So stop being such a slut,” Draco finished, his eyes downcast.  Even though his speech was rude, Ginny could tell from his eyes that his heart wasn’t really into scolding her.  It was as if he didn’t believe what he saying…like there was some small drop of humanity in him, just begging to come out.

As quick as Ginevra had sensed the change in Draco’s demeanor, it was gone.  Giving himself a little shake, he showed her to a table that was set up with very delicious looking foods- including, much to Ginny’s delight, chocolate-covered strawberries.

Taking a seat, she surveyed the food.  “Quite the spread you’ve got here.  Do you eat like this all the time?”

Draco’s grey eyes met her chocolate ones.  “Alone?” he questioned, motioning her to eat.

Ginny nodded.

He chewed thoughtfully for a moment before he replied.  “Yes, I suppose. I used to eat in the Great Hall every night just like everyone else, but I suppose once I found the secret entrance to the kitchens back in sixth, nothing’s ever been the same.  Besides, everyone at this school makes exceptions to the rule for the Head Boy, you know that.”

Ginny smiled and shook her head, putting some food on her plate.  “I was so surprised when I found out that you were the Head.  I thought for sure it would be Harry.”

Draco scowled and looked out the window.  “I guess we all thought it would be him…apparently Dumbledore had enough sense to appoint someone who had actually been a Prefect, and knew how to do all the necessary duties.”

Ginny wasn’t quite positive what she had said, but she could tell that she had somehow offended him.  

Soon enough, though, Draco came back to reality and picked up a strawberry.  Taking the first delicious bite, he swallowed and said, “Enough about Scarhead.  What happened with the test, eh? Bun in the oven? Dolphin in the sea? Alcohol in the bottle? Crayons in the box-”

Ginny sharply interrupted. “I understand the analogy! Thank you! But no, um…I’m not pregnant.”

She quickly picked up a strawberry to avoid Draco’s intense gaze.

Draco looked at her intently.  There was something she wasn’t telling him; of that much he was positive.  She seemed uncomfortable and awkward on the subject of pregnancy…downright…naïve.  _Oh, dear Merlin_ , _it can’t be_ , Draco thought to himself.

But the way she continued to avoid his gaze, blushing the whole while, confirmed his suspicions.

“You have never had sex have you? You’re a virgin,” Draco said incredulously.

She looked down as she replied, “N…No. I’ve never had sex.”

He stood up and started pacing near the window, running his fingers through his hair. “Why were you looking up the potion? Why didn’t you correct me?”

Ginny protested, “Well, you didn’t exactly give me a chance! You generally didn’t let me get much of a word in edgewise! And the potion was for…a friend.”

Draco sat down quickly, shaking the table and causing the strawberries to scatter on the floor. “Look, Red. The reason I made this deal was because I’ve always thought you were hot and it seemed like a good excuse to actually say I got you in bed. Low, despicable, yeah, I know.  But that’s why.  And when you go and pull this virgin shit it makes it very difficult to use you.”

Ginny felt downright bizarre as she listened to his whiny words.  She almost felt…guilty for disappointing Draco.  She didn’t care about him or anything, right?  She just felt bad that he had gotten his hopes up only to be disappointed…at least that’s what she was telling herself.  Although meeting his steely eyes across the table, Ginevra wasn’t so sure.  His blonde hair was loose and falling in his face, and he was dressed very nicely in a fitted sweater and slacks.  Draco always looked good, but tonight…tonight even she was willing to acknowledge the fact.

He looked up at her with impatience.  “What are you staring at?”

“Nothing,” she said apologetically, looking down at her hands, which were neatly folded in her lap. 

Standing from his chair, he walked over to hers and held out his hand.   Ginny took it and he gently helped her up.  

Draco’s face was close, so close that their noses were touching.  Whispering softly, he brushed a hair from her face as he said, “Ginevra, I don’t know what to do.  Even though you are my slave, I still don’t have the heart to do…that to you.  I’m going to kiss you, though.  If you don’t like it, you can just leave, and I won’t bother you anymore except to make fun of you in the hallways…but if you do like it, well. Just think about it, Red.”

She nodded as her eyes fluttered closed.  Closing the gap between their mouths, Draco’s lips enjoyed insisting claiming hers.  There seemed to be electricity between them, and Ginny was surprised to find she actually enjoyed kissing Draco.  The kiss was different than the one with Neville had been earlier.  It was more passionate, more forceful.  There was something so undeniably sexual about it; it was far from the friendly caress that had been Neville’s.   

When they finally came up for air, Ginny realized that the time a person who hadn’t been enjoying themselves would have left would have been about ten minutes ago…and it was at that point that she came to another realization- even though you might not actually like a person, you could still really like kissing them.

*-*-* 


	3. Thoughts

*-*

_Hot Gimmick_

Mei Queen

*-*

Chapter 3- Thoughts

Sitting in a cushy armchair in the Common Room, Ginny twirled her quill idly through her fingers as she thought about the kiss with Draco the night before.  It was hot, that much was for sure.  She really didn’t know what to do.  His kiss intrigued her like none she had ever experienced before…it was romantic, it was engulfing, but more than anything…Ginny felt like with some time, their chemistry had the potential to be even hotter.  She had left right after the kiss the night before…she was rather scared of what she might do if she allowed herself to do whatever she wanted to in Draco’s presence.

Ginevra didn’t want to be attracted to Draco. She really despised the thought of Draco, what he stood for, his insistence upon her servitude, his pompous and egotistical nature; she could go on and on. But that didn’t stop her from wanting him. When they were alone in a room together, her disgust with Draco didn’t stop her from allowing him to insistently kiss her. Ginevra really wanted to say that she was righteous and wasn’t even remotely attracted to him…but she wasn’t blind.

Draco was the hottest thing she had ever seen.

The quill slipped from her fingers, interrupting her train of thought.  As she was bending down to retrieve it, she felt someone brush against her arm and pick it up for her.  “Ginny, um, I really need to talk to you,” Harry said, handing back her quill.

_Oh, God. This is about that stupid ball…what do I do? Do I tell him I know? Of course not…play it cool,_ Ginny thought quickly.

“Oh really? What about, Harry? I’m sorry I missed practice last night…um, I just wasn’t feeling very well,” she said in what she hoped was a sincerely apologetic tone. 

“That’s totally fine, Gin…are you feeling better now?” Harry asked, his bright emerald eyes showing how concerned he really was.

_Aw, that’s sweet…he really cares!_ Ginny thought as she smiled at him, replying, “Much better, thanks!”

“Oh, good, that’s really good,” Harry trailed off slightly, reddening.  “Um…I really just wanted to ask you if you had a date yet for the ball Dumbledore’s having.”

Ginny smiled at him, thinking quickly. _If I accept Harry’s invitation, Draco might get mad…but then again, it’s doubtful that he would actually take me anyway, what with all of his Slytherin friends hanging around._  “Um…I guess I don’t, no.”

Harry gained some confidence with her reply, and smiled. “Would you like to go with me, then?”

Ginny surveyed Harry thoughtfully.  He was certainly handsome.  Not in the icy-cool untouchable way, like Draco, but in much more approachable sense.  Harry truly embodied the-boy-next-door…although if he lived next door to Ginny her whole life, she was pretty bloody positive she wouldn’t still be a virgin.

Ginny smiled back at him.  “Sure, why not? As friends though, right?”

She thought she saw his eyes flicker with slight sadness for a moment, but as soon as she noticed it, it was gone and replaced with a jovial air.  “Of course, Gin…so what colour do you want to wear?”

*-*

Harry trudged back up to his dorm with a smile on his face.  “Just as friends” wasn’t exactly what he wanted, but he would take what he could get. 

Part of him, a part that was very deep down and he was trying to ignore, knew that he had missed his chance with Ginny.

Harry was at least going to try for her, but he wouldn’t blame her if after years of her mindless crushes on him going ignored, she rebuffed him when he decided to reciprocate the feelings…he wouldn’t blame her in the slightest.

Opening the door to his dorm, he noticed something unusual. Neville was scavenging through Harry’s trunk. Mercifully, Neville had not noticed Harry’s intrusion.

Pulling the door back against the frame so that only a sliver of space revealed what was occurring in the room, Harry retreated into the shadows to spy on Neville unseen. 

So Harry was watching when Neville carefully held his wand against a very special scrap of parchment and quietly whispered, “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”  And looking at the expression in Neville’s eyes as Neville held his lit wand, Harry realized with a sinking stomach that the pledge Harry mindlessly took so often to activate the map was being repeated by Neville…and Neville meant every word. 

*-*

In Draco’s room the next day, his face had just turned a rather violent shade of plum.  “Tell me, Ginevra…exactly when did you discover you are mentally retarded, because only someone completely dysfunctional would have accepted a **date** with **Potter** in the midst of servitude to **me**!”

“Well, I’m sorry, Draco, but you never really gave any inclination that you were planning on taking me to that ball, and I really wanted to go,” Ginny finished simply, examining her cuticles disinterestedly and not looking in the slightest bit perturbed by his outburst.

“Even if I don’t take you, you still shouldn’t go with **_Potter_** _._ It’s just common sense,” Draco muttered, looking out the window of his room. Looking back quickly, Draco examined Ginny carefully.  She was one of the only girls…hell, one of the only **people** that Malfoy had ever met that didn’t seem the slightest bit intimidated by his presence.  She acted like she was talking with something about as frightening as a flobberworm.

Ginny sighed and rolled her eyes in response to Draco’s comment.  She had simply accepted the fact by now that she wouldn’t ever be able to completely do the right thing where Draco was concerned. “So what do you want me to do? It’s not like you’re planning on taking me to the ball. The mistake has already been made, so I might as well go with Harry. You’re probably planning on going with Pansy anyway.”

“I actually wasn’t, for your information, but if I needed a date, I suppose she would suffice,” he finished in a bored drawl, meeting her chocolate eyes with a challenging glare from his steel ones.

Ginny looked at him with disgust. “Why do you continue leading her on? Shouldn’t you be a man and tell her that you don’t actually like her in the slightest? Why don’t you give her some damn closure?”

Draco raised an eyebrow in response. “First off, stop talking out of turn. It’s rude, and you’re not even saying Master Malfoy or Master Draco prior to your insipid comments…so you’re making them just that much more unbearable. And second, Pansy is simply around for the days that I can’t find anyone better…and I think she has accepted that by now. She knows I’ll only call her when I’m truly nauseatingly desperate.”

_What a pigheaded ass!_ Ginny thought angrily to herself while standing up from the chair. Turning back to look once at Draco before putting her hand on the doorknob, she said simply, “When you treat Pansy like a human being, I’ll tell Harry I’m going with you to the ball instead.”

Draco just looked at her in confusion. _Why the hell does she care so much about the way I treat Pansy, anyways? Pansy doesn’t give a damn about her! I’ve never met someone before that had so much affection and caring to give that they cared about people who don’t reciprocate…it’s sickening._

*-*

Draco’s inability to understand Ginny’s sudden compassion towards Pansy continued well through his classes the next day, and was still rolling around in his brain when he walked right into the object of his thoughts after Transfiguration.

“Oof!” Ginevra grunted as Draco walked right into her, completely unaware. 

“Watch where you’re going!” Ginevra said snappily, before looking up into his face. “Oh. It’s you.”

Draco raised an eyebrow. “What a welcome. Next time I want to feel loved, I’ll certainly seek you out for a nice ‘Oh, hello… you sodding bastard,’ or perhaps a ‘If you were the last man on earth and the last woman was ironically straight, I still wouldn’t speak to you.’”

Ginny giggled despite herself. “Okay. Sorry. But if you haven’t talked to Pansy, then you know that I’m still going to the ball with Harry.”

Draco’s eyes glinted happily upon seeing her smile.  He didn’t know why he enjoyed making her laugh, but some small part of him felt accepted on those rare occasions that he made her smile…but the much greater part of him felt rather sick at his uncharacteristic catering to her affections.

Draco’s smile turned to a frown. “Why do you care about her, Red? She’s never even been nice to you.”

Ginny thought deeply for a moment. “I guess it’s the feminist in me, Draco. No woman deserves to be treated like she is…even her.”

Draco’s grey eyes went even more steel than usual as he curtly replied, “All I heard in that statement was blah _feminist bullshit_ blah. I expect you back in the dungeons tonight. Seven.”

Ginny’s eyes widened as she watched him swagger confidently back down the corridor. _Just when I thought he was becoming a bit more human, he turns back into an ass! I have no idea what personality he’ll have from one day to the next…he’s completely bloody unpredictable!_

*-*

Though Ginny thought that her difficult day was over, she had one more challenge in store.  After her run-in with Draco, she was approached by Neville back in the Gryffindor Common Room.

“Hey, Ginny,” Neville said casually, approaching her usual squashy armchair.

“Oh, hi Neville,” Ginny replied rather disinterestedly, opting to stare into the fireplace rather than to meet Neville’s earnest gaze.  She only had about an hour until she was supposed to meet Draco in the dungeons, and it was all she could think about.

“Um, I was just wondering if you had a date for the next Hogsmeade weekend,” he said softly.

“No I don’t…when is that, anyway? I hadn’t heard about it ‘til now.”

“Well…technically, it’s not until the week before Halloween.”

“What do you mean, technically? It is or it isn’t,” Ginny said simply, looking up into Neville’s eyes.

“I was planning on making Hogsmeade come a little…earlier,” Neville seemed to be urging Ginny on with his eyes, hoping she would get the hint.

“Oh. One-eyed witch, then?” she asked quickly.

“Pretty much. Are you up for it? What are you doing next weekend?” Neville asked with a smile.

“Sounds fun…sure. Yeah, I’m free next weekend…how’s Saturday?” she asked, returning his smile.

“Great. I’ll see you then,” Neville said softly, and turned to climb the stairs.

With each stair he ascended, his devilish grin seemed to get wider. _Everything is going according to plan…_

 *-*

Author’s Note- Sorry to have left you on a bit of a cliffie…I’m going to make a sincere effort to update more frequently, though!  Hope you review and tell me what you think! Thanks for reading!

Thanks especially to **Miss Auburn** on ff.net for suggesting the notes at the end of the chapter (among some other really awesome constructive comments), you’re absolutely right- I didn’t realize I was giving away so much of the chapter by having them at the beginning!

To **Ginny-and-Draco-fan** and **social-flutterby (** both on ff.net),I’m sorry Neville is the most confusing thing ever…but his character will hopefully make more sense to everyone as time goes on. To **magnoliaTC** (on portkey.org), you’re right that Draco figured it out really quickly that Ginny was a virgin…but I can’t picture Ginny being that great a liar, and I figure that Draco would have been well-acquainted with liars from his jaunts with You-Know-Who.  **Thank you so much to absolutely everyone who reviewed! I appreciate all of your support so much!!**


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